Automatic ice-making machine



April 1 w. G. RIBEIRO 2,550,497

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. War/far 6. Rite/r0 Alla/nay April 1951 w. G. RIBEIRO 2,550,497

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Wa/l er 6. Ribs/r0 W. G. RIBEIRO AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING MACHINE April 24, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 25, 1949 1 a bun... I

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INFENmR. Walter G. Ribeiro Attorney April 24, 1951 w. G. RIBEIRO 2,550,497

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1949 'e Sheets-Sheet 4 Den/m 77mg INVENTOR. wwsrae 6 19/196750 KMKM April 1951 w. G. RIBEIRO 2,550,497

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 5 April 24, 1951 W. G. RIBEIRO AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet.6

Filed April 25, 1949 INVENTOR. Walter G. Elbe/m Aflamey iatented Apr. 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,550,497 AUTOMATIC ICE-MAKING MACHINE Walter G. Ribeiro, Camden, N. J

Application April 25, 1949, Serial No. 89,407

9 Claims. (Cl. 62-105) The present invention relates generally to icemaking equipment and it relates more particularly to certain new and useful apparatus for automatically performing the various steps required in producing ice on a commercial scale.

An object of the present invention is to provide certain new and useful apparatus for producing ice. Another object of the present invention is to provide a certain new and improved machine which will automatically perform the filling, freezing, thawing and dumping operations required in producing ice on a commercial scale. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an ice-making machine having novel means for automatically filling an ice can with a predetermined amount of water to be frozen. A further object of the present invention is to provide novel means for lowering an ice can into a freezing-tank and for thereafter raising the can from the freezing-tank, permitting it to drain back into the tank, and subsequently spraying the can with thawing water while preventing dilution of the brine in the freezingtank by the spray-water.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide novel hoist, switch and timing mechanism in an automatic ice-making machine which will permit an open-top can filled with water-to-be-frozen to remain partly immersed in generally upright position in a freezing-tank for a predetermined period of time; and which will thereafter tilt the can to a generally horizontal but somewhat downwardly-inclined position above the freezing-tank while permitting drainage of the brine back into the ice tank; and which will thereafter spray the can with thawing water for a. predetermined period of time sufficient to loosen the ice-block in the can while draining off the thawing water during spraying and for a predetermined period of time thereafter to prevent dilution of the brine in the freezing tank; and which will thereafter dump the loosened ice-block from the can by gravity; and which will thereafter lower the empty can to its vertical position partly immersed within the freezing-tank; and which will thereafter fill the ice can with water-to-befrozen to a predetermined level; and which will thereafter repeat the cycle of freezing, spraying, draining and dumping operations.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description, appended claims and accompanying drawings.

In freezing ice commercially, it is customary to mount a number of open-top ice cans in a cradle or the like which, is raised and lowered,

r in vertical position, by a hoist mounted on an overhead track so that the water-filled ice cans can be partly immersed in a freezing-tank, and, so that, after the water in the cans has been frozen, the cradle can be hoisted out of the tank and maintained in elevated position to permit the brine on the outside of the cans to drain back into the freezing-tank, after which the cans are moved horizontally to a dumping station at which the cans are lowered into generally horizontal position with the open ends tilted somewhat downward, after which the cans are sprayed with thawing Water to loosen the ice-blocks which eventually slide free. Conventional mechanism of the type described above is disclosed, for example, in Bright Patent 1,755,203. This conventional construction, While heretofore widely employed, has been relatively expensive in that it requires a sizable amount of manual labor and supervision in the filling, lowering, raising, moving, thawing, dumping, and re-filling operations. In addition, the cans are frequently left in the freezing-tank for longer-than-necessary periods due to improper or inaccurate supervision which results in an excessive consumption of power since no useful work is accomplished by the freezing-tank after the water in the individual ice cans has been fully frozen.

According to the present invention, there has been developed, for the first time, an ice-making machine which will perform the filling, freezing, thawing, draining and dumping operations fully automatically and in an appreciably smaller space and without the need for any manual labor and with appreciable savings in power consumption, as well as time.

The present invention also contemplates a fully automatic machine for quick-freezing ice in relatively thin ice cans in a fraction of the time normally required in making ice commercially.

. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organizations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, parts being broken away better to reveal the construc- 3 tion thereofthe ice-cans being shown in elevated dumping position and the water reservoir being shown in filled position.

Figure 2 represents a perspective view, with parts broken away, showing the rear of the embodiment of Figure 1-the ice-cans being shown in lowered position partly immersed within the freezing-tank.

Figure 3 represents a fragmentary side elevational view showing the limit-switch levers and the spray-valve lever in raised position when the can-assembly is in uppermost-position.

Figure 4 represents an elevational view looking generally in the direction of the arrow t in Figure 3.

Figure 5 represents an elevational view like that of Figure 3 but showing the can-assembly in somewhat lowered position with the limitswitch levers and the spray-valve lever in lowermost released position.

Figure 6 represents a vertical cross-sectional view through theice-cans and the insulated airdelivery system.

Figure I represents a fragmentary bottomplan view looking generally in the direction of the arrows 'l i ofv Figure 6 showing the manifold arrangement of the air-delivery system.

Figure 8 represents a fragmentary perspective view showing the mamier in which the ice-cans are filled with water from the individual nozzles.

Figure 9' represents a perspective view generally like that of Figure 8 but showing the appearance of the parts when the ice-cans are raised to generally horizontal dumping position with the water-nozzles tilted upward and out of the way of the ice-block.

Figure 10 represents a wiring diagram showing the timer and switch connections for controlling the automatic operation of the ice-making machine as they appear during the freezing period-- the changes which occur'at the end of the freezing period being shown in dash-dot lines.

Figure 10-1; represents'a view like that of Figure 10 but showing the position of the parts during the thawing periodthe changes which occur at the end of the thawing period being shown in dash-dot lines.

Figure 10-b represents a view like that of Figure ill-a but showing the position of the parts during the draining period-the changes which occur at the end of the draining period being shown in dash-dot lines.

Figure 11 represents a vertical cross-sectional view of the water-reservoir in filled position.

Figure 12 represents a horizontal cross-sectional view generally along the line I2l2 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 represents a vertical cross-sectional view generally like that of Figure 11 but showing the appearance of the parts after the outlet valve has been opened and the reservoir partially emptied.

Figure 14 represents a vertical cross-sectional view like those of Figures 11 and 13 but showing the reservoir after it has been fully drained and the outlet-valve reclosed. and the filling-valve opened.

Figure 15 represents a side elevational view looking generally in the direction of the arrows 15-45 in Figure 1 but showing different positions of the arm 82 and the operating arm I25.

In one embodiment of the present invention shown generally in Figures 1 and 2, I may provide a frame indicated generally by the reference character 20. The frame may include front and rear structural members 2| and 22 and left and right elongated structural members 23 and 24 all disposed in a horizontal plane and forming a bottom generally rectangular framework. The frame also includes front and rear members 25 and 2B and left and right members 21 and 28 all lying in a horizontal plane and forming a top generally rectangular framework.

The frame 20 also includes left and right front vertical members 29 and 30, left and right rear vertical members 3| and 32, and left and right intermediate vertical members 33 and 34 respectivelythe members 21-34 being welded or otherwise appropriately connected to form a genorally unitary. structure having the necessary strength to support the ice cans and lifting and filling mechanism to be described hereinbelow.

The frame 29 is mounted so that its bottom members are generally at floor-level with the frame straddling a recessed brine-filled-freezing tank 35. The transverse dimension of the'freezing-tank may be somewhat less than the length of the side members 23 and 24 so that the front and rear ends of the frame 20 can be appropriately supported outside the freezing-tank 35.

The tank 35 may be considerably elongated so as to accommodate a number of individual frames 25 disposed in side-by-side relationship. That is, while, in Figure 1, a single frame 20 is shown mounted at one end of an elongated freezingtank 35, it is contemplated that a number of individual frames will, in practice, be mounted above the freezing-tank 35 in side-by-siderelationship to each other so that a relatively large number of ice-tanks, individual ice-blocks. can be frozen simultaneously in a single freezingtank.

A pair of journal-blocks 36'and 31 are mounted on the front vertical members. 23 and 30 respectively, near the lowermost ends thereof andv are adapted rotatably to hold the ends of a horizontal shaft 38.,

The shaft 38 extends through an elongated collar 39 in keyed relationship therewith, the collar being fastenedto a cradle-40 to provide a pivot for the cradle and the ice-cans to be hereinafter described.

As shown particularly in Figures 1, 2-and 6, the cradle 49 consists essentially of a metal framework which can be tilted from a lowermost-generally vertical position (shown in Figure 2 to an uppermost generallyhorizontal position shown in Figure 1) and which is constructed and arranged to hold a plurality (for example 3) of individual ice-cans 4! in somewhat spaced-apart relationship so as to leave the surface of the nearly-filled ice-cans substantially fully exposed to the cold brine in the freezing tank 35 when the cradle 46 is in its lowermostposition of Figure 2 (wherein theice-can is immersed within thebrine to a level slightly below theiropen. up.- per ends 42 so that the'water-level' in the can isslightly below. the brine-level;

The ice-cans 4| may be of galvanizediron having a rectangular cross-section at the top of- 2 x 22 inches and a depth of about'44 inches. However, the dimensions of the ice-cans may be varied if desired. The cans'are provided with a smooth interior surface and are preferably downwardly tapered at theirfront and end-walls 43--a and 63-4) to facilitate removal of the iceblocks formed therein. The ice-cans are held together at theirupperends by. a structural flangemember 45 provided at the top of thecradle 40" which serves as the upper support for the icecans in their vertical position. Each can is provided with a spout or guide-portion 46 at the front portion of its open end 42 to aid in the removal of the ice-block formed in the can.

The cradle is provided with a drain-skirt t? extending in somewhat spaced-apart relationship to the front end-walls 43a of the icecans 4!. That is, the drain-skirt 4? is disposed in generally vertical position when the cradle 40 is lowered as in Figure 2 and in generally horizontal position when the cradle is raised as in Figures 1 and 6.

The drain-skirt is provided with a pair of drain-louvres 48 whose function will be described hereinbelow.

. The cradle 49 is also provided with a metal casing 49 which extends downwardly (in Figure 2) in somewhat spaced apart relationship to the rear-end walls i3b (to which a transverse spacer-bar 5t is welded to assist in maintaining the cans in proper predetermined spaced-apart relationship) and terminates in a bottom manifold-casing 5i which extends underneath the ice cans as shown in Figures 2, 6 and '7.

The casings t9 and 5| are filled with a good heat-insulating material such as granulated cork, kapok, mineral wool, etc.

An air-supply pipe 52 extends downwardly through the casing 59 and communicates, at its lower end with a manifold 53 which is displaced within the casing 5| and which communicates with the interior of each of the ice-cans 4| through the bottom walls 54 thereof-the upwardly-directed extensions 55 leading to the individual ice-cans being also insulated by individual casings 55 as shown particularly in Figure 6.

The upper end of the air supply pipe 52 connects with a flexible air hose 5'! leading to any suitable air-blower II9 driven by a motor H8 at the top of the frame so that air can be continuously bubbled upward through the ice-cans 4i during the freezing operation to provide agitation and to concentrate the impurities within a central core which is removed by a suction-tube (not shown) and replaced by clear water so that the turbid core, usually present in ice-blocks, is minimized.

Mounted at the upper rear-end (in Figure 2) of the cradle 55 are a pair of journals 58 which swivelably support a transversely-extending pipe 59 provided with individual spouts 5E3 which are constructed and arranged to deliver water to the upper open-ends 42 of the ice-cans when the cans are in the vertical position shown in Figures 2 and 8.

A pair of flexible water-hoses BI lead upward from the rearwardly-turned ends of the pipe 59 to a T 52. The T 62, in turn, connects with the bottom outlet opening 63 of a water-supply tank or reservoir 54 which is positioned at the uppermost forward end of the frame 20 (resting upon left and right horizontal angle irons 65 and 65 extending intermediate the members 2933 and 3034 respectively) and which will be described more fully hereinbelow.

As can be seen particularly in Figure 8, the water delivery spouts 56 are somewhat downwardly inclined when the cans GI are in vertical filling position so as to direct the water into the individual cans with a minimum of splashing. On the other hand, when the ice-cans are raised to their generally horizontal position, the pipe 59 is free to swivel within the journals 58 (under the added weight of the slackened hoses 6|) so as to raise the spouts 60 to more or less horizontal position wherein they are out of the way of the ice-blocks when the latter slide out of the cans.

As indicated particularly in Figures 1 and 2, a yoke 61 is pivotally connected to left and right angle irons 68 and 69, welded or otherwise fastened to the rear edges of the two outermost ice-cans at the bottom of the cradle 40. A flexible chain Ill leads upward from the yoke 6'! to a generally conventional chain-hoist 'II supported from a cross-bar I2 located at the very top of the frame 20 generally adjacent the rear of said frame.

The chain-hoist ll is driven by a conventional. reversing motor (not shown) which is controlled. by a rocker-arm I34. The rocker-arm I34 is cen trally pivoted and is operatively connected to a. 3-way switch (not shown) so that when the rocker-arm is in its normal generally horizontal: position, the 3-way switch will be open and the- When one end of the rocker-arm I34 and which is pulled downward when the solenoid is energized, thereby to tilt the rocker-arm to hoist-raising position.

The solenoid I36 includes an armature I33 which is suspended from the other end of the rocker arm I34 and which is pulled downward when the solenoid is energized so as oppositely to tilt the rocker-arm to hoist-lowering position.

The rocker-arm I34 is suitably spring-tensioned so that it automatically returns to its normal horizontal position (wherein the hoist motor is stopped) when neither of the solenoids I35 and I36 is energized. It is apparent, of course, that the solenoids should be energized alternatively, not simultaneously (since simultaneous downward pull on both armatures would produce no tilting of the rocker-arm and would simply burn out the coils of the solenoids).

A pair of switches I32 and I33 are provided to energize the solenoids E and I 36 r spectively when the ice-maldng machine of the present invention is being run in manual operation (as distinguished from the automatic operation to be described hereinbelow).

The chain hoist can be operated to raise and lower the cradle Ml. That is, when the chain H1 is lowered as far as it will go, the cradle is in generally vertical position shown in Figure 2 (wherein the individual ice-cans are immersed in the brine of the freezing tank as discussed hereinabove). When the chain hoist II is operated to raise the chain It, the yoke 61 will tend to raise the rear lower edge of the cradle 40 which swings in an are about the shaft 38 so that it gradually shifts until it assumes the generally horizontal position shown in Figures 1 and 6-. Actually, in its uppermost position, the rear-end of the cradle 40 is raised somewhat higher than the 7 front-end, so that. the" ice-cans are slightly forwardly and downwardly inclined to permit the ice-blocks to slideout freely through the open ends after they have=been thawed-loose as will be described hereinbelow.

As shown particularly in Figure 2, a plurality (for example 3) of somewhat forwardly and downwardly inclined thaw-pipeslii are positioned below the water supply tank (it so as-to be located directly above the end walls #33 49 of the ice-cans 41 when the cradledfl is the uppermost position shown in Figure 1.

Each of thethaw pipes lli is provided with a plurality of-sprinkler-heads H and is'connected to a water line in whichis-located a-valve'lB provided with an elongated control arm ll extending across-the path of travel of the-yoke Bl The valve 76 is normally tensionecl to closed position, wherein the arm 11 is lowered. However, when the yoke 6'! israised to uppermost position, it contacts and raisesthe control-arm llin the manner shown in Figure 3:so as to open the valve 16 and to admit water to the thawpipesl3, whereby thethawing wateris free to flow through the sprinkler-heads Mon to the icecans 41 (which are then in their uppermost posi tion shown in Figure 1). The action of the thawing water loosens the ice-blocks and permit them to slide out of the individual ice-cans through the open ends 42 thereof.

The thawing water falls down around the walls of theindividual ice-cans and on to the drainskirt from which it fiowsforwardl and downwardly into a gutter or drain 18. Due to the forward and downward inclination of the drainskirt 4?, asshown in'dash-dot lines in Figure 6, the drain water is kept-from falling into the brine tank through the drain-louvres 48, so that dilution of the brine is preventedi Onthe other hand, when the cradle is first being raised from the brine tank, thebrine adhering to the sides of the ice-cans Ill isfree to drain back into the brine tank through the drainlouvres due to their downward andrearward inclination, as shown in solid lines in Figure 6.x.

When the yokeBi' is-lowered slightlyirom: the uppermostposition shownin' Figures 3 and 4. to the position shown in Figure 5, the valve 16' automatically closes to stopthe'flowof thawing water through the sprinkler-heads M;

The cradle 48' is also provided with left and right splash-shields 'lfi'and 80 which direct the thawing water into the drain-skirt 1 and prevent the water from splashing into the brinetank and diluting the brine.

While, as will be described hereinbelow, the present invention contemplates fully-automatic operation of the ice-making machine of the pres ent invention, the machine can, optionally, be operated step-by-step non-automatically.

Thus, starting with the cradle and ice-cans in lowered vertical position as shown in Figure 2, the non-automatic operation of the machine of the present invention is as follows.

The ice-cans 4| are first filled with water from the water supply tank 64 (through the T62, the hoses 6i, thejpipe 59' and the spouts 69), after which the air'is turned'on'and sent to-the icecans (through the hose 5? and the pipes 52-; 53 and55). The filled ice-cans are permitted to remain in theireezing brine tank; with air agitation, for a time suiiicient tov freezethe water-in thecans (except for'the central turbidcore which is ultimately suckedout' and replaced with clean water which freezes" to fill up the" opening thus left) Due to the. relatively small transverse di mension of the individual'i'ce-eans 4 l therebyex posing'amuch g-reat'ercooling area per poundlof water to he frozen, 7 they can? be fully frozen in as little" as two= hours (as compared to hoursrequired to freeze a standard-sized ice-caniwhich hasatransverse dimension of about llinche's). After the freezing operation has been completed, the chain-hoist is started toraisethe cradleto th'e uppermostposition shown in Figural, at. which pointthe chain hoist is stopped In thisiupper mostpositionthe control-arm. of'the valvelli is maintaine'd'in theraised position shownintFig; ure 3 thereby permitting thawing water tolflowto the thaw-pipe T3 and: tor the sprinkler-he'ads 14.

The flow of thawing water is permittedctomontinue for about seven minutes; after. whichthe chain hoist is operated to lower the cradle. 40 slightly, thereby permitting: the controlrarm H. to move-to the closed position shown:ire-Figure?) so'as to stop the further fiowof thawing water:

The cradle is'kept in this last named position for about two minutes to permit'drainageofi the. thawing water from-.the'sides of. the cans; on. to the drain-skirt fil and' into the gutter T8.

After the thawingc'operation, the ice blocks will slide out fronrthe cans through'the openaends-AZ' thereof under the action of. gravity. The. iceblocks canthen be transportedyby'any. approchain hoistis' started to:lower'the-cradle fl-backto.its starting positionshowninfigure 2 after icli water is; again; introduced; into=the: indifvidual. ice cansfrom the. reservoir (which. has been refilled during the preceding freezingaperiod).

Where opaque ice is-tobemanufactured (i. e; where the ice is to beiused for industrial puiposes andln'otxfor home consumption; so that clarity is unimportant): air-agitation can be? dispensed with. In such case,- the'air-supply pipei 52 and theinsulated casing 5l',,etc.-, can-'beomitted-from the cradle: and the entire-volume of. \vateriin-lthe. individual ice-cans may:- be frozen solid. (without removal of the central. turbid'core).

The freezing, draining and thawing times given herein are solely, for: purposes of illustration and it shouldbewunderstood that'these'times can be varied? appreciably depending upon: the temperature of? the: brine and other conditions;- Thus, for example, the-.ireezingimay require. as little'asl hours'tand' asmuchasfilhours: The draining may require one to. three: minutes or more. The thawing may require: fromtto 10 minutes.

The preferred embodiment of :thepresent irrvention includes means for automatically filling the lowered iceecans 41 with. a predetermined quantity of water to be frozen, .means for: automatically starting thexchain-hoistclll to raisethe cradle 49' afterthe ice-cans 41 have been immersed' in the freezing tanki-li fortwo hours (or other suitable time necessary to complete the freezing of the water in the ice-cans) means for stopping the chain-hoist when the. cradle: has reached the uppermost position shown in Figure 3 (wherein the valve T8 is opened; permitting thawing-water to flow over the i'ce-cans irom'the sprinkler heads' 'ifi), means for" automatically starting and stoppi-r'igthe chain-hoist so as: to lower the cradle to -the position show-nLin Figure after seven minutes (or other suitable thawingtime) has elapsed, means for starting the chainhoist after two minutes (or other suitable draining time) has elapsed so as to lower the cradle to the original starting position shown in Figure 2, and means for automatically emptying the water from the tank 64 (which is then automatically re-filled with a predetermined quantity of water for the next freezing operation) into the ice-cans 4| as soon as the ice-cans return to their lowered vertical position shown in Figure 2, and so on.

The automatic control means referred to hereinabove include a novel arrangement of auto matic timers and switches, for controlling the motor of the chain-hoist, as shown schematically in the wiring diagram of Figure 10, and also include novel means, shown particularly in Figures 11-14, for automatically filling the water-supply tank 64 with a predetermined quantity of water and for automatically opening an outlet valve to permit the water to drain into the ice-cans as soon as the emptied ice-cans reach the lowered vertical position of Figure 2.

Referring first to the novel arrangement of automatic timers and limit-switches as shown schematically, in Figures 10, -a and 1Gh, which are placed in operation when a double-pole, double-throw switch [3! is set to provide automatic operation (as distinguished from manual operation), the present invention contemplates a limit-switch 8| which is connected in series with the down-solenoid I38 and which is mounted at the bottom of the frame 2! adjacent the front right-hand corner thereof (as shown particularly in Figure l) and which is provided with a control-arm 8ia normally tensioned to uppermost position wherein the switch is closed. As the cradle 40 swings downward from the uppermost position shown in Figure 1, an arm 82 keyed to the right-hand end of the shaft 33 swings clockwise (in Figure l) and downward so that when the cradle. reaches its lowermost vertical. position, the arm 82 depresses the control-arm iii-u as shown in dash-dot lines in Figure 15, to open the switch 8| and to de-energize the down-solenoid K36, thereby to stop the downward movement of the hoist H. The limit-switch 8! is kept in its open position during the freezing period (which may run for two hours or any other appropriate time).

An automatic freeze-timer 83 of generally conventional construction (as, for example, a series 2800 timer, manufactured by Automatic Temperature Control Co.,'Inc., of Philadelphia, Pa.) includes a single-throw type switch 288 which, during the freezing period, is in the closed position shown in solid lines in Figure 10, and also includes a double-throw type switch .Ztl

which, during the freezing period, is in the upper position shown in solid lines in Figure 10.

At the end of the predetermined freezing period, the switch 2% is flipped to the open position shown in dash-dot lines in Figure 2 thereby breaking the circuit to the motor 2&2 of the freeze-timer 83 so as to stop the motor. 7

At the same time, the switch 2%)! is flipped to the lower position shown in dash-dot lines in Figure 10 thereby closing a circuit energizing the clutch 283 of a thaw-timer 85 and resulting in movement of a single-throw type switch Zed from the open position shown in solid lines, in Figure 10 to the closed position shown in dash-dot lines in Figure 10 and also resulting in movement of a double throw type switch 265 from the upper position shown in solid lines in Figure 10 to the 10 lower position shown in dash-dot lines in Figure 10.

The closing of the switch 204 completes a circuit energizing the motor 206 of the thaw-timer 86 which is set for seven minutes or any other desired thawing time.

Downward movement of the switch 285, as aforesaid, closes a circuit energizing the upsolenoid I35 so as to start the hoist H upward and to raise the cradle 40 and the ice-cans 4| from the freezing tank 35.

The chain hoist l! continues to run until the yoke of the cradle 46 contacts and lifts the downwardly-tensioned control-arm 84 of a normallyclosed limit-switch 35, connected in series with the up-solenoid I35 so as to open the switch 85 and to de-energize the up-solenoid I35 and thereby to stop upward movement of the hoist H and the cradle 40.

In this uppermost position (as shown in'Fig ure 3 and also shown in solid lines in Figure l) the control-arm ll of the valve 16 has also been raised to open the valve 76 in the manner described hereinabove so as to send water to the thaw-pipes i3, thereby permitting water to flow over the raised ice-cans 4|.

This upward movement of the yoke e1 also raises the downwardly-tensioned control-arm ill of a drain limit-switch 88 so as to shift the limit switch 88 from its normal position shown in Figure 10 to the position shown in Figure l0-a (and also shown in solid lines in Figure 4) As indicated by the solid lines in Figure Iii-a, both solenoids I35 and 136 are de-energized to maintain the hoist and the cradle in uppermost position during the thawing period.

At the end of the thawing period, the switch 204 is moved from its closed position (as shown in solid lines in Figure lO-a) to its open position (shown in dash-dot lines in Figure 10-a) so as to break the circuit to the motor 206 of the thaw timer 86 and to stop the motor. The switch 265 is also moved from its lower position (shown in solid lines in Figure lO-a) to its upper position (shown in dash-dot lines in Figure 10-a) thereby closing a circuit energizing the clutch 2B? of the freeze-timer 83 resulting in movement of the switches 29!! and 29! from the solid-line positions to the dash-dot line positions in Figure IO-ct; That is, the switch 200 is closed to re-sta'rt' the motor 202 of the freeze-timer (which is set for two hours or any other desired freezing period) while the'switch 2!!! is moved to upper position closing a circuit energizing the down-solenoid I36 (as indicated in dash-dot lines "in Figure 10-a) and resulting in downward movement of the cradle 40.

However, when the cradle 45 is moved down ward a relatively short distance to the position shown in dash-dot lines in Figure 4. (so as to release the control-arm "IT and close the valve it), the control-arm 81 is released so that the drain limit-switch 88 automatically returns to its original position as shown in Figure lO-b (and also shown in dash-dot lines in Figure l) which breaks the circuit to the down-solenoid I33 so as to stop further downward movement of the cradle 40. This movement of the switch 88 to the position shown in Figure 1047 also closes a cir cuit to a drain-timer 89 (which is set for two minutes or any other suitable draining period). That is, closing of this last-mentioned circuit en: ergizes the drain-timer clutch 298 which moves a double-throw switch 299 to the position shown structural member amon .11 insolid lines in .Figure 10-71) thereby :closing the circuit to start the drain-timer motor 2 I 8.

While this preliminary downward ,movement of the cradle 43 has also released thecontrol-arm 84 and re-closed the limit-switch 85 in the circuit of the up-solenoid I35, the rip-solenoid nevertheless -remains de-energizedbecause its circuit is kept open by the switch-291 of thefreeze-timer; the switch 20I beingin the upper position shown in Figure 10-1) during-the freezing period.

At the end of the draining period, the draintimer switch 209 is ,flipped to the dash-dot line position-shown in Figure .l-b-thereby breaking thecircuit to the .motor 2H? and, at the same time, closing a circuit .to the down-solenoid lei so as to re-start the downward movement of the hoist and cradle andthereby to lower the icecans into the freezing tank.

This downward movement continues until the limit-switch 8! is again opened so as to break-the circuit to thedown-solenoid I36 andto .stop the hoist and the-cradle in the lowermost position shown in Figure 2.

In this position, the ice-cansareautomatically refilled from the water-supplytank 56 (aswill be described hereinbelow). and are. kept in the-brinetank until the end of the freezing period, at which time the switchesfzllfi and .25.! areflipped from their solid-line positions. totheir dashedot line positions in Figure 10 to repeat .thecycle of operations (ihe. raising, thawing, partially vlouering, draining, 'furtherjlowering and freezing).

Considering .now the automatic filling operation for the water-supply tank 54, the normal closed'filled position of the tankjis shown iniFigure 11 wherein the outlet opening 63is closed. by a valve-member '90 mounted on a vertical stem 9| which extends through a guide-member .92 'andis normally urged :to lowermost closedposition by a helical'spring 93.

With the water in 'thetank '4 at its predetermined upper level, the ,normally downwardlytensioned control-arm 94 of a normally-open inlet-valve 95 is.raised to uppermost valve-closing positionby a ball-float .96. The ball-float.95 is provided with an upwardly-extending rod 91 which extends intermediate the bifurcated end 98 of the control-arm 4 and also intermediate the oppositely-directed bifurcated end '99 of a lever I00 to be described .hereiribelow. The upper end of the rod 91 is providedwithian 'enlarged head IOI whosefunction will be described below.

The lever I00 is pivotallymounted intermediate its ends upon a horizontalshaft 102 supported between end-brackets I03 fastened to a I04 extending transversely across the top of the tank 64. The other (forwardly-extending) end of thejlever I 00' isnotched on its underside as-at I05and is normally urged to downward position (counter-clockwise in Figures 11 and 13) by a'coil spring I06 whose other end is fastened to the structural member I04.

Also pivotally mounted on the shaft I02 is a restraining arm III'I whose rearmost end "I08 is provided with a closed loop I09 which passes underneath-the control-arm 94 of the inlet-valve The forward end III of the-restraining arm I0! is connected, by a chain III,to one arm N2 of a generally L-shaped detent'or pawl-member I I3. The-arm I I2-is fixedly mounted, intermediate'its ends, upon a transversely-extending rotatable shaft I'I4 'iournaled in blocks II5 mounted at the top'of the tank B4.

discs I I1.

crank-shaft I 2'2.

:12 The otherarm H6 of the pawlmember H3 iszdisposed below andin alignment with theforward end of the lever I00 when the tank is in its normal filled position, .as-shown, in Figure, 11. However, when the shaft l i4 and the pawl member II3 are rotated.counterclockwise, the arm II6 swings up until it contacts the forward-end of the lever I00 and-rotates it clockwise (against the action of the spring I06) toa point at which the arm IIB seats itself within the notch I05 as shown in Figure '13.

This counter-clockwise rotation of the pawl member H3 also results in a counter-clockwise rotation of the restraining arm vIO'I by the action of the chain IiI,-as indicated in Figure 13.

Mounted upon the shaft I-I4;on either side of the'valve stem 9|, are a-pair of cam discs 15" against which downwardly bear a pair of oppositely-extending horizontal cam-followers H8 mounted on the valve stem 9|.

When the tank 64 isfilled and the valve member is in its :lowermost closed position, the cam-followers II8 contact low-points of the-cam However, when the shaft 1 I4 is ro tated"counter-clockwise from the position shown in Figure '11, the cam discs II-'I swing to ,raise the -cam-followers II8, thereby to lift thegstem 9i (against the spring -93) and to open the valve memberSO.

As shownlparticularly in .Figure 1, the righthandiend oftheshaft I Misprovided with a crank -I 2I,-to the free end of which is pivotally connected the-uppermost end of a generallyvertical The crank-shaft I22 extends downwardly along :the right-hand side of the frame 20-its lowermost end extending through an oversize slot I23 formed somewhat inwardly of .one end 124 of a generally horizontal operating arm I25. A transverse retaining-pin I26 is provided at the lowermost end of the crankshaft I22;below'the operating arm :25.

The operating arm I25 is pivotally mounted 111- termediate its ends within a bracket I21 sup-- ported upon the bottom right-hand horizontal frame 'member 24; the other (rear) end of the operating arm 'I25being provided with a weight- -'I'28 which normally urges the operating arm I25 clockwise'tothe position shown in Figure 1=where-- in the slotted end I24 is maintained somewhat above the lowermost end of the crank-shaftjIH. This-clockwise rotationof theoperating arm .I25 is limited by a, stop-member 129 mountedat the forward edge of the bracket I2'Isomewhat above the arm I25.

The operating arm I25 is disposed in generally the same vertical plane as the arm 82 on'the shaft 38 and the forward slotted end I24 of the arm =i25 extends within'the arc of travel of the arm'82 so that clockwise (in Figure 1) rotation of the shaft'38 and the arm 82 will cause the arm 82 to contact the end I24 and to tilt the operating arm "I 25 counter-clockwise until it strikes the retaining-pin I25 and thereafter moves the crankshaft I22 downward to result in counterclockwise rotation of the crank "I2I and the-shaft In operation, when the cradle 40 begins its downward movement following the dumping of the ice blocks (at the end of the two-minute draining period), the arm 82 contacts the end I24 and momentarily'tilts the operatingarm I25, asshown in solid lines in Figure 15 (which results in downward movement of the crank-shaft I22 and counter-clockwise rotation of thecrank 'I2I and the shaft IHI as described-hereinabove) i As the shaft 38 and the arm 82 continue to move clockwise, to the position shown in dash-dot lines in Figure 15, the arm 82 moves clear of the end I24 thereby releasing the operating arm I 25 and permitting it to tilt clockwise (under the action of the weight I28) to its original position --the arm 82 thereafter continuing to move downward until it operates the limit-switch BI as described hereinabove.

When the crank I2I and the shaft II4 are rotated counter-clockwise as described above, the cam-discs II'I operate to raise the cam-followers H8 and the shaft H4 from the position shown in Figure 11 to that shown in Figure 13. During this rotation, the detent member H3 is also swung counter-clockwise to the position shown in Figure 13 wherein its arm H6 is engaged within the notch I05 and holds the lever I in generally horizontal clockwise-rotated position, and wherein its arm I I 2 is moved counter-clockwise and downward to pull the chain III and to tilt the restraining arm I01 counter-clockwise. In this position, the loop I09 on the rearmost end I08 oi the restraining arm I0! is raised to maintain the control-arm 94 of the inlet valve 95 in its uppermost valve-closing position, even after the ball-float 96 moves downward, as indicated in Figure 13, as the water-level drops (due to flow of water through the opened outlet valve,

the T 62, the hoses BI and the spouts 50, to the ice-cans M as described above).

In this way, only the predetermined amount of water is delivered from the tank 34 to the ice-cans 4Ino additional water being delivered to the tank 64 from the inlet valve 95 during the time reuired to drain the storage tank.

However, as the level of water continues to drop, the ball-float 06 is lowered to the point at which the enlarged upper head IOI on the rod 91 contacts the bifurcated end 99 of the lever I00 and tilts it clockwise to the position shown in Figure 14 so as to raise the notched end I above the arm H6, thereby releasing the detent member and permitting the shaft II 4 and its associated cam-discs II! to rotate clockwise (due to its weight-distribution). This clockwise rotation of the cam-discs II'I permits the valve member 90 to close under the action of its spring 93 so as to return to the position shown in Figure 11.

During this clockwise rotation of the shaft I It, the crank-shaft I22 is raised back to the original position shown in Figure 1.

This clockwise rotation of the shaft II4 and its associated detent member II3 also slackens the chain III, thereby permitting the restraining arm I 0'! to move clockwise (due to its weightdistribution) so as to lower the loop I09 and to release the control-arm 94 of the inlet-valve 95 which thereupon drops to its normal lowermost position opening the inlet-valve to begin the refilling of the tank 64.

As the level of water in the tank rises, the ball-float 96 gradually moves upward from the position shown in Figure 14 to that shown in Figure 11 at which it forces the control-arm 04 to its uppermost valve-closing position, stopping further flow of water.

The tank 64 then remains in the filled position of Figure 11 until the freezing, thawing, and dumping operations have been completed and the cradle 40 has once again been lowered to the filling position whereupon the clockwise rotation of the arm 82 trips the operatin arm I to repeat the cycle.

ill! 7 As shown particularly in Figure 2, the timers 83, 86 and 89, and the switches I3I, I32 and I33 are mounted in a cabinet I30 located at the rear of the frame 20 so that they are easily accessible for adjustment in the event the timing periods require variation. 7

As mentioned hereinabove, the number of icecans 4| carried by the cradle 40 can be varied. The dimensions of the ice-cans can similarly be varied, as for example by providing greater transverse dimension which would increase the capacity of the individual cans but would require longer freezing time.

Indeed, the cradle 40 could readily be modified to take a single standard ice-can which is about 11 inches in transverse dimension and requires 40-50 hours to freeze. This longer freezing time can be attained by suitable adjustment of the timer 83.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. An ice-making machine comprising a frame mounted above a brine-filled freezing-tank, a cradle pivotally-mounted adjacent the bottom of said frame, one or more open-top ice-cans carried by said cradle, a reversible power-hoist mounted at the top of said frame and having a chain or the like connected to the cradle whereby said ice-cans can be lowered to generally upright position partly immersed within the freezing-tank and whereby said ice-cans can be raised to generally horizontal position above the freezing-,ank with their open-tops somewhat downwardly-inclined, one or more thaw-pipes mounted on said frame and constructed and arranged to spray thawing-water over said ice-cans in their last-mentioned generally horizontal position so as to free the ice-blocks formed therein and to permit the ice-blocks to slide out of the ice-cans through their open-tops, said frame being provided with a splash-shield to keep the thawing-water from running into the freezingtank, a water-reservoir mounted adjacent the top of said frame and constructed and arranged to fill the ice-cans with water-to-be-frozen by gravity after the ice-cans have been lowered to their generally upright position, and a thermal-insulatedair-pipe carried by said cradle and communicating with the bottoms of said ice-cans whereby air can be bubbled through the water- .filled ice-cans during the freezing operation.

2. An ice-making machine comprising a frame mounted above a brine-filled freezing-tank, a

'cradle pivotallymounted adjacent the bottom of said frame, one or more open-top ice-can carried by said cradle, a reversible power-hoist mounted at the top of said frame and having a chain or the like connected to the cradle whereby said ice-cans can be lowered to generally upright position partly immersed within the freezing-tank and whereby said ice-cans can be raised to generally horizontal position above the freezing-tank with their'epen-tops somewhat downwardly-inclined, one or more thaw-pipes mounted on said frame and constructed and arranged to spray thawing-water over said ice-cans in their .last-rimentioned generally .-horizontal,position so as to free the ice-blocks formed therein and to permit the ice-blocks to slide out of theice-cans through their open-tops, and-a water-reservoir .mounted adjacent the .top of saidframe and constructed and arranged to fill the ice-:cans with water-to-be-frczen bygravity after the ice-cans have been lowered to their generally upright position.

3. An ice-making machine comprising aframe mounted above a brine-filled freezing-tank, a cradle pivotally-mounted adjacent the bottom of said frame, a plurality of relatively thin open-top ice-cans having downwardly-tapered end-walls mounted upon said cradle in generally parallel spaced-apart relationship, a reversible powerhoist mounted at'the top of said frame and having :a'chain or .the like connected to the cradle whereby said ice-cans can be lowered to generally upright position :partly immersed within the freezing-tank and whereby said ice-cans can be raised to :generally horizontal position above the freezing-tank with their open-tops somewhat down- =wardly-inclined,'one or more thaw-pipes mounted on said frame and constructed and arranged to spray thawing-water over said ice-can in their last-mentioned generally horizontal position so as to free the ice-blocks formed therein and to permit the ice-blocks to slide out of the ice-cans through their-onenetops, and a water-reservoir mounted-adjacentzthe topof said frame and con- 'structed and arrangedto fill the ice-cans with water-to-be-frozen by gravity after the ice-cans have been lowered to their .generally upright position.

ing-tank with their open-tops somewhat downwardly-inclined, one or more thaw-pipes mounted on said frame and constructed and arranged to spray .thawing-waterover said ice-cans in their last-mentioned generally horizontal position so as to free the ice-blocks formed therein and to permit the ice-blocks to slide out of the ice-cans through their open-tops, said frame being provided with a splash-shield and said cradle with a drain-skirt having inclined drain-louvers constructed and arranged to permt brine to drain from the outside of the ice-cans back into the freezing-tank during the raising of the ice-cans while preventing thawing-water from running into the freezing-tank when the ice-cans are in their generally horizontal position, and a thermalinsulated air-pipe carried by said cradle and communicating with the bottoms of said ice-cans whereby air can be bubbled through the waterfilled ice-cans during the freezing operation.

5. An automatic ice-making machine comprising a frame mounted above a brine-filled freezing-tank, a cradle pivotally mounted adjacent the bottom of said frame, one ormore opentop ice-cans carried by said cradle, a power-hoist mounted at the top of said-frame and having a chain or thelike 'connected'to the-cradle'whereby said ice-cans can be lowered to generally up- ;right position partly immersed within the freezing-tank and whereby said ice-cans can be raised to generally horizontal position above the freezing-tank with their open-tops somewhat downwardly-inclined, one ormore thaw-pipes mounted .on said frame and constructed and arranged to spray thawing-water over the ice-cans in their last-mentioned generally horizontal position so as to free the ice-blocks formed therein and to permit the ice-blocks to slide out of the ice-cans throughtheir open-tops, a control-valve operatively connected to said thaw-pipes, a waterreservoir mounted adjacent the top of said frame and having an outlet valve, a delivery line leading from the outlet valve to the ice-cans and a floatoperated inlet valve, a control-arm connected to said cradle and tiltable therewith, trip-mechanism actuated by said control-arm for opening the outlet valve of the water-reservoir when the ice-cans reach their lowered generally upright position, and for automatically closing said outlet valve when said reservoir has been emptied, and mechanism for automatically operating the power-hoist and the control-valve, saidmechanism including a freeze-timer and a thaw-timer operatively interconnected so that the freezetimer automatically starts the thaw-timer at the end of the freezing period and the thaw-timer automatically starts the freeze-timer at the .end

of the thawing period, a normally-closedlimitswitch constructed and arranged to be opened when said-cradle is raised to uppermost position thereby to stop upward movement of the powerhoist, said control-valve being normally closed but being constructed and arranged to be opened when said cradle reaches said uppermost position, a drain-timer, a second limit-switch constructed and arranged to be actuated in one direction-when said cradle reaches its uppermost position, said thaw-timer being constructed and arranged to start downward movement of the power-hoist from the uppermost position at the end of its timing period, said second limit-switch being constructed and arranged to be actuated in the other direction after said cradle has been lowered somewhat from its uppermost position thereby to stop downward movement of said power-hoist and simultaneously to start the draintimer, said drain-timer being constructed and arranged automatically to re-start the downward movement of the power-hoist at the end of its timing period, and a third normally-closed limit- "switch constructed and arranged to be opened :horizontal open position and'wherein a solenoidcontrol is connected to one end of said rockerarm, said solenoid-control being constructed and arranged to tilt said rocker-arm in one direction, when energized, to cause upward movement of said power-hoist, and wherein a second solenoidcontrol is connected to the other end of said rocker-arm, said second solenoid-control being constructed and arranged to tilt the rocker-arm in the other direction when energized, to cause downward movement of said power-hoist, said first-mentionedsolenoid-control being constructed and arranged to be energized 'by the freeze- [7 timer at the end of its timing period and to be deenergized upon opening of the first-mentioned limit-switch, said second-mentioned solenoidcontrol being constructed and arranged to be energized by said thaw-timer at the end of its timing period and to be de-energized upon movement of the second limit-switch in its other direction and to be re-energized by said draintime at the end of its timing period and to be again tie-energized upon opening of the third limit-switch.

7. An ice-making machine comprising a frame mounted above a brine-filled freezing-tank, a cradle pivotally-mounted adjacent the bottom of said frame, one or more open-top ice-cans carried by said cradle, a reversible power-hoist mounted at the top of said frame and having a chain or the like connected to the cradle whereby said ice-cans can be lowered to generally upright position partly immersed within the freezingtank and whereby said ice-cans can be raised to generally horizontal position above the freezingtank with their open-tops somewhat downwardly-inclined, one or more thaw-pipes mounted on said frame and constructed and arranged to spray thawing-Water over' said ice-cans in their last-mentioned generally horizontal position so as to free the ice-blocks formed therein and to permit the ice-blocks to slide out of the ice-cans through their open-tops, a water-reservoir mounted adjacent the top of said frame and having an outlet valve, a delivery line leading from the outlet valve to the ice-cans, an inlet valve, and float mechanism operatively connected to said inlet valve and constructed and arranged to close said inlet valve when the water within the reservoir reaches a predetermined level, a control-arm connected to said cradle and tiltable therewith, and trip-mechanism actuated by said control-arm for opening the outlet 1 valve of the water-reservoir when the ice-cans reach their lowered generally upright position, and for automatically closing said outlet valve when said reservoir has been emptied.

8. An ice-making machine comprising a frame 18 freezing-tank and whereby said ice-cans can be raised to generally horizontal position above the freezing-tank with their open-tops somewhat downwardly-inclined, one or more thaw-pipes mounted on said frame and constructed and arranged to spray thawing-water over said ice-cans in their last-mentioned generally horizontal position so as to free the ice-blocks formed therein and to permit the ice-blocks to slide out of the ice-cans through their open-tops, a waterreservoir mounted adjacent the top of said frame and having an outlet valve, a delivery line leading from the outlet valve to the ice-cans, an inlet valve, and float-mechanism operatively connected to said inlet valve and constructed and arranged to close said inlet valve when the water within the reservoir reaches a predetermined level, a control-arm connected to said cradle and tiltable therewith, trip-mechanism actuated by said control-arm for opening the outlet valve of the water-reservoir when the ice-cans reach their lowered generally upright position, and for automatically closing said outlet valve when said reservoir has been emptied, and latchmechanism constructed and arranged to maintain the inlet valve in closed position and to maintain the outlet valve in open position until the water-reservoir has been substantially emptied adn thereafter to permit closing of the outlet valve and opening of the inlet valve.

9. A construction according to claim 5 wherein the Water-reservoir is provided with an inletvalve and with mechanism constructed and arranged to close said inlet valve when the water within the reservoir rises to a predetermined level and to open said inlet valve only when the reservoir has been substantially emptied.

WALTER G. RIBEIRO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,051,296 Williams Jan. 21, 1913 1,130,960 Carter Mar. 9, 1915 1,474,551 Pownall Nov. 20, 1923 1,484,982 Bright Feb. 26, 1924 2,171,620 Bassett Sept. 5, 1939 2,173,070 Brown Sept. 12, 1939 2,277,006 Russell Mar. 17, 1942 2,506,614 Ribeiro May 9, 1950 

